Doctor T Designs

September has been an interesting month in that, I sewed! I mean, not a lot, but a sewing pattern did make it out of the envelope. Sad that this is what’s making me excited. It’s not enough to be close to a finished garment yet, but it’s something. I’m still trying to figure out how to make sewing part of a daily (or at least weekly) practice, so that I can at least get something done. The new job is not feeling as overwhelming at this point, though I’m quickly coming to realize that I don’t know how much longer I want to keep all of my side-hustles going, as they are eating up a lot of my not-in-the-office-time. I’ve a lot to figure out, and I don’t see things changing much before the holidays, but I am thinking quite a bit about what I’d like my life to actually be, instead of just floating along accepting what it is. I’ve had the fortune of being able to pursue my passions, but in terms of “real world adult things” I’ve been generally putting things off or accepting them for what they are for a really long time, and I need to change my mindset about things a bit. Obviously, I’m still sorting out all of the pieces of life such as it is right now, but, hopefully even just the little bit of sewing I’m doing will turn into something more next month, and I’ll be able to find more balance between things I need to do and things I want to do.

In the meantime, here’s what’s been going on around the sewing blogosphere…

• Merriam Style’s YouTube channel continues to provide interesting Kibbe related content including:
  • Thoughts on why celebrity look alikes might not be the best way to find your Kibbe type.
  • A video about shopping for trench coats for the body types.
  • And her video about splitting from the Kibbe naming conventions (which provoked a reaction from me in my 95 Style Theses post…)
• Aly Art has a great video series about Makeup Styles, and goes into detail about Makeup for Dramatics, Makeup for Romantics, and Makeup for Naturals. Hopefully there will be more videos for Classics and Gamines (and maybe even the subtypes) coming soon!
• Justine Leconte’s video about transitioning a capsule wardrobe between seasons isn’t specifically Kibbe related, but it is really helpful, especially if you try to plan your sewing projects seasonally.
• Watch Me Glow Up has more Ethereal videos including Oneric, Mahogany, and Sun, Alabaster, and Luminous ethereals, but also explains why she’s leaving YouTube in this farewell video.
• Elyssa has a video about understanding the basics of an outfit.
• Style Syntax has written an open letter to “Kibbe” analysts. I did have a bit of a reaction to her previous articles in my August review post, and I’d thought I’d had a bit of time to reflect and calm down a bit. Of course, then it ramped up again in my 95 Style Theses post… At this point I think it may just be the most emotionally healthy thing for me to stop reading this blog, which is really sad because this is how I found out about David Kibbe in the first place!
• Instagram tipped me off to a new website called Cozy Rebekah that has lots of cool Kibbe related content including Jewelry for the Body Types, Glasses for the Body Types, and Summer Dresses for the Body Types.
• The #sewyourkibbe has even more posts on Instagram!

If I’ve missed your posts or you would like to be included in my future Kibbe round up posts, please feel free to leave a link in the comments!

In other Kibbe news, David has indicated that he will be writing a new book, hopefully soon:

So I guess at this point I hope that we do get a new book from Kibbe, and that it will make his more modern process a bit more clear. Or, at least collect a lot of the exercises referenced in the Facebook group and make everything a lot more accessible and cohesive. I think one major thing I’m seeing is that those who’ve been in the group over a longer timespan are telling everyone who’s new that they need to “do the work” but I can also understand why it’s a bit hard to “do the work” when so many of the posts that are referenced in the posts that are linked have been lost to the time streams of the Facebook sorting algorithm.

I’ve also somewhat come to a decision regarding the blogging about Kibbe thing – I think I will continue the monthly Kibbe round up posts through the end of the year, because I do really want to at least give myself an opportunity to accomplish more with my challenge (and/or reflect on the craziness of life this year and how I utterly failed to flip the on switch of a sewing machine after declaring such grand plans at the start of it all…). At that point… I’ll see where I’m at. I’ve learned a lot this year, about style, and lines, and taste, and so much more. But I’ve also found the downsides of what happens when you look at a thing too much… For now I’ll just continue to enjoy the works of all the style YouTubers that I find to be helpful, and keep tabs on Kibbe’s whole second book endeavor. I’ll assess where things are at by the end of the year and go from there. Hopefully without any other mini-meltdowns along the way.

And now, here are my top picks of new patterns for each Kibbe type from this month’s releases. Here are my picks for September:

Dramatic

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BurdaStyle 10/2019 #113, Burda Plus F/W 2019 #414, BurdaStyle 10/2019 #103B. I think all of these are great options for Dramatics, and I think Burda has done a fabulous job of styling them in a way that makes it super obvious why. The second and third image do a great job of creating an elongated line, and the angular hem on the dress is also a fabulous detail for Dramatics. I think the blazer/short jacket in the first image would look great as part of a monochromatic look (apparently super on trend this fall) because of the double breasted buttons and sharp lapels.

Soft Dramatic

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BurdaStyle 10/2019 #123, Butterick 6716, Butterick 6717. These all have the luxurious look that Soft Dramatics can totally rock. The coat on the left would be incredibly versatile – it could look so elegant over a fabulous dress, or more casual over some skinny jeans. The trench on the right would be a great option for a decidedly more casual Soft Dramatic look, and the jumpsuit could go from day to evening depending on fabric.

Flamboyant Natural

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Burda Plus F/W #401, BurdaStyle 10/2019 #105A, and BurdaStyle 10/2019 #104A. All of these have the unconstructed, loose, flowing shapes that work well for Flamboyant Naturals. Definitely all a bit more for the casual end of the spectrum this month, but I think a lot of the Soft Dramatic picks could work for a fancier Flamboyant Natural look (depending on the styling), as could some of the Natural or even Soft Natural picks this month.

Natural*

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Burda Plus F/W 2019 #408, BurdaStyle 10/2019 #126, and BurdaStyle 10/2019 #111A (pants) and #115 (top). I think this is a nice mix of options for Naturals. The first two looks could be work appropriate, and the second two could be more casual. As a bonus, I think both pieces in the last image would be great picks, so Naturals get 4 suggestions this month!

Soft Natural

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BurdaStyle 10/2019 #126, Butterick 6720, and BurdaStyle 10/2019 #118. I think the first and last options are pretty obvious – softly unconstructed, with some waist emphasis. The coat I think is a little less obvious, but I really think it could be a good option for Soft Naturals who need something a bit heavier for winter. There are angles, but they are more wide than sharp, and the hem of the coat isn’t as straight or sharp as, say, the pink Burda coat is. Clearly, this would be more of an upscale piece in a Soft Natural wardrobe, but sometimes you need one of those. Also, it’s a total dupe for something the Duchess wore, so I’m a bit obsessed with the pattern at the moment…

Dramatic Classic

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Burda Plus F/W 2019 #412, BurdaStyle 10/2019 #117, and Burda Plus F/W 2019 #406. I really love the way the Burda Plus image on the left is styled; I think it looks super classy, and put together, but also really fun. It’s something that wouldn’t be too much for a Dramatic Classic, but would be a bit out there. And the jacket really helps to pull it all together with the slightly sharp, slightly elongated lines. The dress in the middle is a bit more expected; it’s got some nice angular seams. And the dress on the right taps a bit more into the Classic undercurrent, but still has a nice sharp V-neck for the Dramatic Classics.

Classic*

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Burda Plus F/W 2019 #406, Butterick 6706, and Butterick 6705. The dress from Burda is so fab I had to put it here too. I think a lot of the Butterick dresses this release would be great for Classics; these two are especially good because of the clean lines. The one in the center has a bit more structure, and the one on the right is a bit softer of an option.

Soft Classic

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Burda Plus F/W 2019 #410A, Butterick 6704, and Butterick 6703. Like my recommendation for Flamboyant Natural, I think Soft Classic could also easily borrow some of the picks from the Classic category as well. I really liked the Burda Plus image on the left because it showed how an entire outfit could be styled for Soft Classic. The Butterick dresses are also great options because of the soft draping details, and slim silhouette.

Flamboyant Gamine

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Burda Plus F/W 2019 #403, BurdaStyle 10/2019 #112B, and Butterick 6715. I thought the way the sweatshirt was styled was perfect for Flamboyant Gamines – it’s so cute! The middle image is also a perfect execution of a look for a Flamboyant Gamine; even the cropped sleeves on the top are fantastic. The trousers are great because of the cropped length and button details. I could even imaging pairing the Butterick trousers with the vest from Burda (in a different colorway) to get a really snazzy fall look.

Gamine*

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BurdaStyle 10/2019 #119, BurdaStyle 10/2019 #109A, and Butterick 6718. All of these have the slightly cropped, close fit that Gamines need. The Burda top is an interesting mix of yin and yang elements, which is good for Gamines. I think the wardrobe pattern from Butterick would be an exceptionally good buy; aside from the skirt, everything else would definitely fall in Kibbe’s recommendations.

Soft Gamine

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BurdaStyle 10/2019 #106B, Butterick 6707, and Butterick 6713. I think all of these would be great for Soft Gamines; they all have close fits at the collar and cuffs, and lines that break up the form. I think all of these might be best for a slightly fancier outfit, though the pink top could probably work well for a casual look too.

Theatrical Romantic

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BurdaStyle 10/2019 #107, Butterick 6702, and Burda Plus F/W 2019 #413. I really love the Burda Plus blazer for Theatrical Romantics; it has the sharpness in the collar, but also the waist emphasis with the central seams. The first Burda blazer would also make for part of a very polished Theatrical Romantic look, whereas the dress would definitely look very casual on a Theatrical Romantic.

Romantic

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BurdaStyle 10/2019 #128B, Butterick 6704, and Butterick 6712. All of these have the nice drape and softness that Romantics need in their clothes. I think the cardigan in the first image might be a bit too loose as styled, but I think it could be cute over a very fitted top and jeans for a casual look. Or possibly if it was belted… The Butterick styles have lovely details at the collar that would be great for Romantics.

*Note: Kibbe no longer uses the Natural, Classic, or Gamine classifications in his style typing methods. I have included them here because I am using his book Metamorphosis as my basis of information.

And that’s it! If you’ve found any other great Kibbe related content to share or have any updates on your own Sew Your Kibbe challenges please feel free to drop a line in the comments!